Spring Basket

I wanted to share the steps to making Cathy’s Baskets.

This quilt is 35” square so it is the perfect size to hang on the wall or to become a table topper.

I made a 10” square pattern for my basket design from freezer paper.

I like working this way, it allows me freedom as well as guide lines to work from. 

I find it is much easier to square things up after I have pieced them and if I start with a guide I get better results.

Supplies for this project are:

• 2 yards of gradation Raspberry fabric
• 1 yard of Limey Avocado fabric
• Freezer paper
• mechanical pencil
• glue stick
• 40” square piece of batting
• 1 yard of backing fabric
• Quilting thread of choice

I drew my pattern on the mat side of a piece of freezer paper. 

• I marked out a 10” square and divided it in half in both directions. 
• I  marked my basket triangle on the bottom half leaving about an 1 1/2” from the bottom to add two triangles for the base. This can vary. 
• I made sure I left between 1/5” – 1” from the edge of the square for the triangle basket.
• I cut out all the shapes right on the inside line to use as templates as I make the baskets.
• I left 1/2" on the outside as extra to be trimmed away later when I square up the blocks.

To get started:


I started by dividing up the Limey Avocado fabric into five strips. 

I just cut it apart where the fabric changed color. 
This will become my baskets, handles and part of the stripy units on the border.

To Start:

• Cut the green sections into 2-3" wide strips. 
• Sew two strips of green together with a 1/4" seam. 
• Cut each of these units randomly at an angle
• Add another piece of green to the random angle to create very scrappy looking basket pieces.
• Make 10 of these units.
• Cut out the base triangles from these units, allowing a 1/4” seam allowance all the way around the freezer paper shape.
• Place the shiny side of the freezer paper against the front of the fabric and press with a hot dry iron.
• Use a rotary cutter and ruler to cut around the paper pattern.

I used my dress makers curve to create a smooth arched handle on my freezer paper pattern.

• Cut out the exact shape of the handle from the freezer paper. 
• Place the freezer paper template shiny side against the fabric and ironed it to the fabric.
• Use these freezer paper templates over and over again for all the baskets.
• Cut out the rest of the basket templates from the freezer paper. 
• Leave a 1/2” seam allowance around the outside edge of the drawing but cut exactly on the lines for the inside pattern shapes.

Place the freezer paper templates on the raspberry fabric.

The Raspberry fabric grades from light to dark. I place my templates to utilize the gradation and work from the light end to the dark end as I create each row of three baskets.

• For the top two templates that will create the area for the handle cut out leaving  a 1/2” seam allowance on the inside and outside of each section.
• Cut out the inside curved areas using a rotary cutter. Leave a 1/2” seam allowance. You need a more than 1/4” seam to glue and sew these sections.
• Use a pencil and mark the inside curve right next to the paper on the top pink section and the bottom of the green handle. This is the pressed seamed line that will be your sewing line. I also mark the bottom edge of the pattern pieces to give me a guide when I go to trim up the bottom finished edge of this top unit.

I don’t have to mark it with a pencil but I find it helps me see the line better when sewing the curve.



In order to glue all of the curved pieces together before sewing I clip all of the seam allowances about a 1/2” apart around the curve. Make sure not to go right to the edge of the paper when clipping.

Finger press this seam back against the paper and finally press it with a hot dry iron. I don't glue any of these seams to the paper.

• Do this to all three pieces of the top of the basket section, the top, the handle and the bottom half circle under the handle.

I will clip and press all of the seam allowances of the curved areas against the paper templates.  

Notice that I drew a center line down the middle of the pattern so that when I go to alien all of my pieces I have a mark to guide me.

• Run the glue stick along the turned back edge of the top pink basket section seam (the edge facing you).

• Alien the green handle piece snug right under the top pink section.
• Open up the top edge of the green handle piece and using a hot iron press this seam over the top of pink top section seam securing them together.  The glue will hold the pieces together for sewing.

Do the same thing with the bottom pink 1/2 circle that completes the bottom of the top handle section.

• Run the glue stick along the top of the turned back edge of the bottom of the green handle.
• Line up the pink circle under the green handle piece.
• Open up the pink pressed edge to lay over the top of the bottom of the pressed curve of the green handle .
• Press these two seams together using a hot dry iron
• This will secure the bottom pink section to the bottom of the green handle.

Once these pressed seams have cooled carefully remove the freezer paper templates.

You can use these paper templates again on all the basket squares.

• Sew these sections together placing the green handle section against the sewing bed and the top pink section up to see the pencil or fold line that you will sew on.
• Sew slowly and carefully along the fold mark or pencil line.

I use a small scissors to hold the edge on the right side while I open up and guide the left side with my hand.

• Once the curves are sewn make sure no tucks were create. 

If there are any tucks correct them now.

Trim the 1/2” seam allowance to 1/4” and press both seams to the inside of the handle.

Notice on the bottom left I also marked with my pencil the bottom line of each pattern piece as a guide for when I trim this bottom edge up. I will trim leaving a 1/4” seam allowance.


I really like working with freezer paper and glue this way. I don’t have to be so precise when I cut my pattern pieces and in the end when I trim it all up I still get very straight and clean lines.
I’ll show you the rest next time.
Happy Quilting.

Peace Peace Peace Peace

I am participating in the Quilter’s Blog Hop Party Give Away.

Visit the 175 quilting blogs participating in the Quilter’s Blog Hop Party. You can register on each blog for their giveaway.

If you have been following along you know that at the end of this week there will be a drawing from my blog for a give away that includes my pattern “Holiday Moments”,( PEACE is one of the patterns in Holiday Moments) the Winter Special fabric kit and a spool of my favorite Red Madeira thread.

This is my thank you for being loyal blog followers all year long.


In order to qualify to be in the drawing for the free give away you MUST -
1) Leave one comment, one only, telling me which New Year's Resolution you kept this year? If you didn't keep one, which one do you'd wish you kept?

One of my New Year Resolutions was to change my needle for every new project I started...a very practical resolution and one that was very easy to keep. I did manage to stick to that resolution, mostly...and there were no guilt trips if I didn't do it straightaway.
I'm looking forward to reading your stories!

2) Join my blog as a follower, by clicking on the link at the top right of this page that says "join this site"

3) That's it...no more tricks or finagling...

Let’s look at what you need to do next in making PEACE.

We have marked our circle on the red background fabric.
We have cut out our trees with a pinking decorative blade.
Now we need to make the rest of the trees.

Fuse an 8” square fabric for your trunks. I used a purply blue for mine.
Remove the paper from the fused fabric.

• Place the fused fabric fusing side up on the back side of your rotary mat and using a wavy decorative blade in your 45m rotary cutter, cut from corner to corner on the diagonal to make trunks for your trees. I make my trunks about a 1/2” wide at the bottom to narrower at the top.
• Place all of your triangle trees back onto a piece of release paper and tack fuse them in place.
• Place a trunk down the center of each tree and trim it to about 1 inch beyond the bottom of the tree.
• Using a hot dry iron press the trunks in place.
• Fuse a darker 8” square of green fabric .
• Using the wavy blade cut on the diagonal narrow strips

• Cut apart the dark green strips into leaf shapes and place three on each tree. Press in place.
• Fuse a 5” square of red or fuchsia fabric and cut it into small squares.
• From the small squares cut out small circles using very sharp KAI scissors.  Place three on each tree and press in place.

We will put it all together on Friday – See you then. Ho Ho Ho

PEACE - Man

Making patterns is a lot of fun.

You can do what ever you want.

I like that. I have never really liked it when people tell me I have to do things a certain way.
I have always liked to experiment and find my own way.

PEACE is that kind of pattern. By experimenting I came up with this design.
Peace is an easy and fun pattern to make.

If you have been following along you know that at the end of the week there will be a drawing for a give away that includes my pattern “Holiday Moments”,( PEACE is one of the patterns in Holiday Moments) the Winter Special fabric kit and a spool of Red Madeira thread.
This is my thank you for being loyal blog followers.

In order to qualify to be in the drawing for the free give away you must -

1) Leave one comment only telling me which New Year's Resolution you kept this year? If you didn't keep one, which one do you'd wish you kept?

One of my New Year Resolutions was to change my needle for every new project I started...a very practical resolution and one that was very easy to keep. I did manage to stick to that resolution, mostly...and there were no guilt trips if I didn't do it straightaway.
I'm looking forward to reading your stories!

2) Join my blog as a follower, by clicking on the link at the top right of this page that says "join this site"
 
3) That's it...no more tricks or finagling...

I thought I would share with you a few of the step outs for making the PEACE pattern.

First, of course, it is so easy when you buy my fabric kit – Winter Special - Holiday Bundle 1/2 yard of Winter Red and 1/2 yard of Grass Green fabrics for $20

I have used the Winter Red fabric for the background to PEACE.

The first thing you want to do is cut the 1/2 yard of red fabric into an 18” square.

Then fold the square into quarters and using the pattern piece, mark out a circle in the middle of the folded square.



This will be your guild for laying out your design.

• Use the 1/2 yard of grass green fabric to make the trees. 
• Fuse a 10” strip of GG for the trees. I only use WonderUnder #805 to fuse all my projects.
• Once the fabric is fused remove the release paper. Release paper is the paper that comes on the fusible web.
• Cut out three strips that are 3” wide by 18”
• Mark on one side of the fabric every 1 1/2” with an extra fine sharpie marker.
• On the other side of the strip, starting 3/4 of an inch in from the edge mark every 1 1/2”.
• Using a pinking bade in your 45m rotary cutter cut across the lines from one side to the other.
• Trim across the bottom of each triangle that you have just created using the pinking blade.
• You will need your 16 triangle trees for the wreath.

This should get you excited. Watch for more in my next post.

Happy Quilting today!

Last week of November Special

I have a secret November special going on this month. With every order over $10 on my website you will receive a free fat quarter of batik fabric. Woo Woo!!

FrieStyle Fabrics and Notions Newsletter

I am ready for the Holidays. Are YOU? Do you need some quick gifts for that special person in your life? I have a few things that might help.

My Holiday Fabric Special through December will be 1/2 yard of Winter Red AND 1/2 yard of Grass Green for $20. These are the colors of Christmas, and they will make a wonderful bundle to give to your special quilting friend or to help jump start a project for your wall or table.



These are the colors I use in my pattern "Holiday Moments." It's not too late to make one of the three hangings in this pattern to put on your wall or front door for the holidays. Each of these patterns only takes a day or two to put together. I also used the Winter Red and Grass Green to make the Christmas tree skirt in last year's issue of "Quilting Arts" gift magazine. At this time of year you can never have too much RED and GREEN fabric. Don't forget to gift yourself too!!



This tree skirt is all fused and sewn in four sections to make it easy and quick to put together.

This is a link to the pattern http://www.quiltingdaily.com/media/p/30999.aspx

It is free with registration to Quilting Daily.

Patterns
A pattern makes the perfect gift for that special quilting friend. It is right in the budget for "exchange gift" giving. I have so many wonderful designs to pick from and all are very fun and easy to make. A beginner quilter or an experienced quilter can all follow the step by step directions.

Join my blog
This month's free pattern for joining my blog will be a PDF of Star Lilies. Email me that you have joined and I will send that pattern on to you. If you haven't already joined my blog, now is a good time to do so. I will be posting many new videos and free patterns this winter. Just click on the link at the top right of this page that says “join this site”.

E-Patterns
E-patterns are always available for sale on my website. This is a great way to buy the pattern and NOT pay for shipping. You purchase the patterns and then immediately download them yourself. You not only save on shipping BUT also receive the patterns the same day you buy them. Why not give it a try today? They are at the top of the pattern page.

Don't forget to stock up on these notions for winter sewing:

I just finished making some new quilting samples on 18" quilt sandwiches for easy reference when I want to know what batting to use with what thread color, etc... And I really was glad to have all the needles and thread that I needed right at my finger tips.

These also make great "exchange gift" gifts and fit in your budget nicely.

Rayon and matching cotton thread
Embroidery sewing machine needles
Wonderunder
Decorative blades
Kia Scissors – these are what I use everyday and l love them. They have extra large holes for your fat quilters fingers.

My Teaching Schedule for 2013

2013 will be here before we know it, and I am going to some really fun places this coming year.

I love seeing friends and meeting new people, so I hope that if you are near any of these venues, you will pop in and say hello. 

It is a nice opportunity meet and to see all of my quilts up close and personal. 

Playing inside

With this terrible heat driving me inside, I am working on a few small quilts. My basement is cool and comfortable, if a bit messy.


I really wish I had a magic genie to come in every night and straighten up my workspace, just the way I like it.


I will never be that really neat person, sigh.


Anyway, I wanted to share with you one of the ways that I add quilting lines on my work if I need to follow a line while I am quilting something.


Often I like to have a drawn line to follow when doing something like these flowers. If I don’t have the line to follow the line will become to straight and un-natural looking and so it helps if I can mark the curves. I discovered these colored pencils several years ago and now use them when doing this kind of quilting on my pieces.


I also discovered just recently that these lines can become permanent. I will share that next time.

Using Derwent Pencils to mark quilting lines

Don’t forget that next week is a free give away on my blog for Jane Sassaman’s new book.


Please leave your comments and take a moment to join my blog.


Happy Quilting.

Remarkable Rambling Rose

I have spent many hours this week cleaning the gunk out of my garden.

There is a big oak tree in the neighbors yard that hangs over my garden and drops oak leaves throughout the fall and winter into my garden. So every spring there is a big clean up to clear the garden of this gunk.

20 years ago I planted this rose bush in the front of my garden allowing me a view it from my kitchen window. The idea was that I would enjoy the blossoms while I do the dishes. And this is true.

I know nothing about roses, and every spring I just hack away at it to trim back the overgrowth and dead parts and in the process cutting off the dead rosehips. And every year it comes back healthy and productive. Now that I think about it, I bet I could make rose hip tea if I cut those rosehips fresh in the fall… hum

This rose bush is a very ardent producer of fragrant and pink rosy blooms. They smell like sweat tea rose. I love to cut them and have them on the kitchen table, or sprinkle them in my bath water. Oh yes, I am a bather, I take a bath everyday, no showers for me.

My rose bush has buds and roses all summer long and if I let it, I’m sure it would ramble all over the garden.




Last week I finally got inspired to create a quilt in honor of this flower bush that gives me so much pleasure throughout the summer.



This is my newest pattern “Rambling Rose” 16” x 20”. It uses two different decorative blades to give it a little drama and whimsy.

The pinking blade and the wavy blade are both used in my rotary cutter to cut the leaves and vines and shadow of the rose.

It would look pretty hanging on your wall too.

Don't forget to leave your comments for a chance to win the tablet keeper directions and fabric. I will announce the winner Monday. See you then.

Steam setting is good for the pores

After I have finished designing my fused quilt tops and before I layer them with batting and backing fabric to make them into a quilt sandwich, I make sure I steam set the fused quilt surface.

This sets the fusible web. Nothing will peal up after I steam set the top.

Watch along -

Steam set fused quilt top

Don't forget to leave your comments for a chance to win the tablet keeper directions and fabric. I will announce the winner Monday.

Free Friday Give Away

Remember this?


Are you ready to make one yourself?

I think it is time to share.

This week and next I will be giving away parts to make this Tablet Keeper for yourself.

This was a fun project to do, and most importantly have. I love using my tablet keeper.

This Friday enter your name for a chance to win the “Gently Used” directions to make this Tablet Keeper or IPAD cover. Along with the directions you will also receive a fat quarter yard of Frieda’s gorgeous hand dyed green fabric. That way you may actually get around to making one of these nifty covers for yourself.

Next Friday enter your name for a chance to win my pattern, Petite Trilliums and a quarter yard of Frieda’s hand dyed fabric - fuchsia to purple. When you get these it is up to you come up with another interesting idea of how to put my design on something, maybe a purse?

All you have to do for a chance to win this week is to send a friend to my blog and ask them to sign up to follow along. Each of you need to leave a comment. All names will be enter in the drawing. Each time you comment I will add your name again.

It’s as simple as that and soon you could be making something new.

Good luck!!

Step by Step

Friday I showed you the Paper Tablet Keeper I made using Nancy Zieman’s Trace N Create templates.

Today I wanted to show you the steps to make it. It really was fun and easy and a nice change a pace from what I normally do.

The first step for me is always to find the fabric.

Look at all those gorgeous wicked fabrics. It was hard to pick just one.
One of my goals for 2012 to use as much of this fabric as possible.

The green really caught my eye. I thought it looked mottled and interesting woodland like the area the trilliums grow in.

I had already decided to use my pattern Petite Trilliums for the cover design.

After ironing and sewing two of the fabrics together to make the cover piece I also fused the back of the cover fabric.

The directions tell you to use a medium weight interfacing but I like the idea of the fusible web. I normally fuse my fabrics anyway. I used the template from the pattern to cut out a slightly larger than the template size background area to create the design. I knew I was going to machine quilt it and the quilting would shrink it  a little so I made it bigger and trimmed it to size when the quilting was done.


To trace the design from the pattern I used the release paper that peals off of the fused fabric. I always use
WonderUnder #805 when I am fusing and a Sharpie extra fine black marker.

I used the Sharpie extra fine marker to trace the design. Once the design is traced I placed the marker side of the traced design against the fused side of my fabric and pressed with a hot dry iron. I will often cover it with another piece of release paper to protect the exposed fused areas on the rest of the fabric.


I always let the fabric cool down and remove all the release paper before I and cut out the design on the line that is transferred to the back of the  fused fabric.

It helps if you use VERY sharp scissors so you get a clean crisp edge.

Once I had my design finished I added in a layer of Fairfield batting to the back, instead of the extra firm stabilizer that the directions call for.

One of the things I did as I was working with this pattern was to highlight the areas in the pattern that refer to the Paper Keeper part of the design.

The pattern has directions for several different applications and it just made it easier for me to keep track of what I was doing if I highlighted my parts.

Ok that’s it for now, I will finish up this project tomorrow.
See you then.